Material working apparatus



Sep. 13, 1938. J, s, STULL MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. l0, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 13, 1938 J. s. sTULL.

MATERIAL WORKING' APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. l0, 1935 s IV /A/ VEN TOR J 5I 57i/M 5y A TTO/P/Vfy Sept. 13, 1938o f J. s. sTuLL MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed OCt. l0', 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTOR/Vfy.

Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Electric Company,

Incorporated, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 10, 1935, Serial No. 44,317

4 Claims.

This invention relates to material working apparatus, and more particularly to attachments for milling machines for cutting slots or notches in articles, such as keys.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple, practical and efficient automatic material working apparatus for cutting a series of slots or notches of predetermined depth and arrangement in articles.

In accordance with the object, one embodiment of this invention, as applied to an apparatus for milling tumbler notches in key blanks, comprises an apparatus having a base adapted to be xed to a reciprocable table of a milling machine in operative relation with a continuously rotating normally fixed axis cutter of the machine. Movably carried on the reciprocable base is a key blank holder operatively associated with means effective for automatically imparting to the holder three motions at right angles to each other upon each back and forth movement of the milling machine table, said motions being transverse to the axis of the rotary cutter for predetermining the depth of the notch, tangential to the cutter to perform the cutting operation, and parallel to the cutter axis for indexing from one lnotch to the next.

Other features and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a side View, partly in section, of an apparatus embodying the features of the invention as used on a milling machine, shown fragmentarily;

Fig. 2 is a plan section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; f

Fig. 3 is an end View partly in section, taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale of a key after a plurality of tumbler notches have been cut therein by an apparatus embodying the features of this invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, the numeral Ill indicates a portion of a milling machine pedestal or supporting frame provided with the usual guideway I I for a reciprocable carriage or table I2 which in the present embodiment of the invention is manually reciprocated to and from a power driven circular cutter I3 by means hereinafter described. The cutter I3 is mounted in a usual manner upon an arbor (not shown) 'which is rotatably `iournaled about a normally fixed axis disposed above the table l2 by supporting means carried by the frame It, the supporting means being adjustably carried whereby the cutter may be accurately positioned relative to the work for a particular set up. The cutter ai'- (Cl. {Jo-13.05)

bor is driven continuously in a counterclockwise direction from any suitable source of power and thus -constitutes means for driving the cutter I3. For manually reciprocating the table I 2 it carries a rack bar I 1 which meshes with a pinion I8 xed to a shaft I9 journaled in the frame Il), the shaft carrying a hand lever 20. It will be apparent that the operator by grasping the hand lever 2|) and rocking it back and forth will impart motion to the table I2 upon the frame I0 rst in one direction and then in an opposite direction.

'Ihe apparatus carried by the table I2 which in cooperation with the table and the rotary cutter I3 serves to cut a series of notches of predetermined depth and arrangement in articles or, as disclosed in the present embodiment, tumbler notches in key blanks, is designated as a whole in the drawings by the reference numeral 23 and comprises a. base 24 removably attached to the table I2 in a usual well known manner, not indicated. Mounted upon the base 24 for longitudinal movement therewith and having a lateral sliding motion in a right angle direction thereon by means of keys 25 is a sub-base 25 (Fig. 3), the keys being secured to the sub-base and entered in spaced keyways provided in the base 24. Having a sliding t in a longitudinal channel 2l in the lower surface of the sub-base 26 and between the keys 25 is a ratchet bar 3i) (Figs. 2 and 3) which supports from its under surface a cam member 3| comprising an angularly arranged cam bar having its vertical side surfaces engaging cam surfaces 32 of a channel formed at a similar angle in the upper surface of the base 24. Secured to the lower surface of the sub-base 26 at each end and below thecam bar 3l are locking bars 33 (Fig. 1) which slidably engage under laterally extending lips 34 of the base 24', thus preventing vertical displacement of the sub-base 25 relative to the base 24 but permitting its lateral movement thereon. Secured to the ratchet bar 30 at its left end, as indicated at 31, and having a sliding fit in a longitudinal channel 3B (Fig. 3) in the upper surface of the sub-base 26 in vertical alinernent with the ratchet bar is a plate 39.

Formed in the upper surface of the plate 39 at its left end are a plurality of laterally extending channels 40 (Figs. 1 and 4), which in the present embodiment number six, arranged in spaced pairs of three channels each, the channels of each pair being similarly spaced from the adjacent channel. Slidable in the channels 40 are slot or notch depth determining slides 4I, one for each point or station on the key blank where a notch is to v be formed, the `slides all being similar in contour and provided upon their upper faces with six, in the present embodiment, steps 44 of different heights for determining the depth of cutting in the key blanks at the respective stations. The

described spaced arrangement of notch depth determining slides 4| are for a particular combination of spaced parallel notches to be cut in key blanks (Fig. 5) for a certain type of six tumbler lock.

The station slides 4| are adjusted along the channels to provide the particular combina-- holds the slide in its adjusted position. Eachof` the notch depth determining steps 44 has a numeral designation 46 (Fig. 2) to indicate its position for its respective station which may be eX- posed between spaced plates 41 so that the particular combination of numbered steps set up at the six stations is exposed or set out. One of the spaced plates 41 has alphabetical designations 48, one for each station slide 4|, which together with the numeral designations 46 on each step 44 of the slides provide means whereby the key blanks may be cut according to a predetermined code.

Fixedly secured to the upper surface of the sub-base 26 is a key blank holding device, indicated in general by the numeral 50 (Figs. 1 and 3), comprising a frame 5| bifurcated at its left end, the furcations being provided with vertical slideways 52 on their inner opposed surfaces. Slidable on the slideways 52 as a unit is a pair of key blank clamping. jaw members 53 and 54, the jaw members being hinged together as indicated at 55. A compression spring 58, carried in a pocket in the jaw member 54 and abutting at one end a surface of the jaw member 53, normally urges the members apart. An end plate 59 xed to the frame 5| holds the jaw member 53 in sliding relation upon the frame. Extending freely l vertical surface.

through a collar 60 and the member 53 is a draw bolt 6| threaded at its right end into the member 54, the end plate 59 being cut out to permit the collar to abut the outer surface of the member 53. Pivoted to the left end of the bolt 6| is a lever 62 which is bifurcated at its inner end and formed with peripheral cam faces on the furcations thereof which are arranged to rockably engage the collar 60 at diametrically opposite points of the bolt. Y

The members 53 and 54 at their upper ends are formed with jaw heads 65 and 66, respectively, the head S5 carrying'a spacer 61 upon its inner Suitable locating and stop surfaces on the heads 65 and 66, together with the spacer 61, are effective to accurately position and rigidly clamp a pair of key blanks 68, one at each side of the spacer to the members 53 and 54,

Vwhen the cam lever 62 is rocked about its pivotal connection with the bolt 6|, which movement draws the bolt 6| and the member 54 outwardly and toward the member 53, thereby compressing the spring 58. Upon rocking the cam lever back again the spring 58 .acts to separate the members 53 and 54, thus freeing the key blanks 68 for removal. In positioning the key blanks 68 between the jaw heads 65 and 66 they are slid longitudinally upon their lower unbroken edge surfaces 69 (Fig. 5) along supporting surfaces on the heads into position at each side of the spacer 61. A spring pressed pivotal locking pawl 1| (Fig. 3) carried on each of the heads 65 and 66 engages a shouldered end surface 12 on the key blank 68 as the latter is slid into position and is effective t0 hold the key blank in position upon the jaw head until the cam lever 62 is actuated to draw the jaw heads 65 and 66 into clamping relation.

Fixed to the end plate 59 is a stop pin 13 (Fig. l) which extends inwardly and through an elongated slot 14 provided in the jaw member 53, the peripheral surface at the inner end of the pin engaging the upper end surface of a spring pressed cup-shaped plunger 15 slidably carried in a vertically disposed aperture in the member 53. A

,spring 16 within the plunger 15 abutting at opposite ends the plunger and a plug threaded into the aperture serves tov normally urge the verticallyl slidable jaw members 53 and 54 to their lowered position as shown in the drawings, with the upper end wall of the slot 14 abutting the stationary stop pin 13. Secured to the lower end of the jaw member 53 is a member having a camshaped abutment 19 depending below the end surface of the jaw member, the abutment being 1ocated centrally across the bottom of the jaw member 53 and also the space between the plates 41. As shown in the drawings the apparatus is in a normal position at the end of a cycle of notching operations with the abutment 19 to the right of the rst station slide 4|, the vertically slidable jaw members 53 and 54 resting on the stop pin 13. In the operation of the apparatus to be described more fully hereinafter, the abutment 19 rides onto the first preadjusted station slide 4|, thus elevating the jaw members 53 and 54, and with them the key blanks 68 to the desired plane above the lower peripheral cutting edge of the fixed axis cutter |3 for cutting the first notches to a desired depth in the key blanks when the key blanks are moved tangential to the cutter in a following movement of the jaw members.

The ratchet bar 30 has formed in its upper side surface, as viewed in Fig. 2, six ratchet teeth having a similar spacing as the notch depth determining slides 4|, the spacing of which determines the distance between the parallel notches tothe cut in the key blanks 68 (Fig. 5). Formed in the upper surface of the ratchet bar 36 are six straight sided notches 8|, one notch at each of the ratchet teeth 80. Pivotally carried in a pocket formed in the sub-base 26, as indicated at 8 2, is al pawl 83 which through an elongated slot 84 therein, at the pivot 82, has a limited longtudinal movement relative to its pivot point. A compression spring 86 carried in an aperture in the pawl 83 and bearing at opposite ends against a plug threaded linto the pawl and a plunger 81 projecting through the wall of the slot'84 and engaging the pivot 82 serves to continually urge the pawl toward the left a distance limited by the length of the slot.

As shown in Fig. 2 wherein the parts are shown in a normal position the pawl is irl its extreme left position with its ratchet teeth engaging end abutting the plane side surface of the ratchet bar 35 adjacent the edge of the first tooth 80 thereof and ready to engage therein upon a movement of the ratchet bar 3|) vtowards the right relative to the pawl 83. A leaf spring 88 carried by the pawl 83 and bearing against a wall of the pocket in the sub-base 26 constantly tends to rotate the pawl counterclockwise about its pivot 82, thus insuring the operative engagement of the pawl in one of the ratchet teeth 86 when the pawl is permitted to engage the same. At its outer end the pawl 83 (Fig. 2) is formed with oppositely arranged cam faces 89 which alternately engage similar cam faces 9|) formed on a stationary lug 93 during reciprocatory movements of the milling machine table I2, which carries the apparatus 23, the lug being adjustably car` ried on a bar 94 fixed to the frame I2 of the milling machine. An engagementy of either of the cam faces 89 of the pawl 83 with either of the cam faces 90 of the lug 93 as the pawl moves therepast, it will be apparent, will rock the pawl clockwise about its pivot 82 and draw its ratchet teeth engaging end from the engaged tooth 80 of the ratchet bar 30.

Slidable upon and laterally of the ratchet bar 30 in a guide channel 95 in the lower surface of the sub-base 26 is a locking pawl 96 (Figs. 2

and 3) which is formed, at its end adjacent thev pawl 63, with a tooth 91 for engaging in the notches 8| of the ratchet bar. The engagement of the tooth 91 in one of the notches 8| serves to lock the ratchet bar 30 from movement relative to the sub-base 26 during a movement of the elevated key blanks 68 tangentially of and past the cutter to perform the cutting operation. At its opposite end the pawl 96 carries an upwardly extending pin 99 (Fig. 3) which in operation rides along a cam track |00 formed in a block I0| adjustably carried in a bracket |02. A pin |03 (Fig. 2)`xed to one side of the bracket |02 is slidably fitted in the upper notched surface of a bracket |04 secured to the bar 94 which in .irn is fixed to the frame I0 of the milling machine. rlhe bracket |04 at its opposite side is slidably supported in a channel |05 (Fig. 3) formed in a member |06 secured to the side of the reciprocable sub-base 26, the member |06 carrying on its lower surface a plate |01 which serves as a support for the pawl 96 at its end portion carrying the pin 99. The described mounting of the bracket |04 carrying the cam track block |0I, it will be apparent, permits a longitudinal movement of the apparatus as a whole relative to the cam track and at the same time permits the cam track to move laterally with the apparatus since the pin |03 may slide longitudinally in the' notched bracket |04.

The cam track |00 is formed with two plunger actuating portions |09 and IIO (Fig. 2),l one at each end of a dwell portion I I I, the portions |09 and |I0 terminating in other dwell portions II2 and ||3, respectively, which serve to hold the locking pawl 96 from engaging inthe notches 8| of the ratchet bar 30 during a portion of each reciprocatory movement of the sub-base 26 after the key blanks 68 have been notched in their tangential movement past the cutter I3, and also while the apparatus is in its normal position as shown in the drawings.

The sub-base 20 is provided with a longitudinal bore II6 (Fig. 2) within which is a compression spring I Il surrounding a reduced portion of a plunger IIB, the left end of the reduced plunger portion being slidable in a screw plug threaded into the wall of the bore. The plunger I|8 is pivoted at |I9 to a lever |20 which at one end is pivoted at |23 to an arm of the sub-base 26 and its opposite end is pivoted at |24 to the ratchet bar 30. The loaded spring II'I serves to move the ratchet bar 30 step by step towards the right when it is released by the withdrawal of the locking pawl tooth 91 from a notch 8| of the ratchet bar during a reciprocatory movement of the sub-base 26 in either direction. Energy is` stored in the spring II after the last reciprocatory movement of the apparatus towards the right or upon completion of the last of the six notches cut in the key blanks 68. In the continued movement of the apparatus in the direction of its last movement the right end of the ratchet bar 30 which has a tapered notch |25 engages a tapered end of a stop member |26 yieldably pivoted at |21 to a bracket |28 secured to the bar 94, the end of the stop member entering the notch in the ratchet bar. Thereafter in the continued movement of the apparatus the ratchet bar is moved to the left upon the subbase 26 which serves to compress the spring II'I for the next operation of the apparatus.

In the operation of this apparatus let it be assumed that a key is` to be notched having the code number 123456, as shown set up between the spaced plates 4'I (Fig. 2), which indicates that six notches are to be cut, each notch to have a di'ierent depth, the notches each being formed successively of lesser depth from the outer ends of the key blanks 68 inwardly. The particular key blank 68 (Fig. 5) is provided with a notch |3I which is cut in another operation previous to the cutting of the six notches, three at each side thereof about to be described. Each of the station slides 4I is therefore adjustedby sliding it laterally on the plate 3S to provide the particular combination of different depth notches, the particular numeral designation 46 indicating the depth of the notch at the particular station appearing in the space between the plates 41 and when the slide is correctly positioned the associated spring pressed plunger 45 springs into the notch on the slide and holds it thereat. Thereafter the key blanks 6B are clamped in position between the jaw heads 65 and 66, in the manner hereinbefore described, and the cutter I3' is caused to continuously rotate. It is also assumed that the apparatus 23 carried by the i'eciprocatory table I2 of the milling machine is in its normal position, as shown in the drawings, wherein tension has been stored in the spring II'I,'the ratchet bar 30 and attached parts including the base 34 and sub-base 26, holding the position shown against the action of the spring due to their inertia and the friction inherently existing betweenV the parts. IIt is also to be noted that in this condition of the apparatus the locking pawl 96 and the ratchet pawl 83 have been withdrawn from the notches and teeth of the ratchet bar 30.

The table I2 is then moved toward the left by rocking the hand lever 20 fixed to the shaft I9 counterclockwise in one continuous stroke, as viewed in Fig. 1, which through the cooperating pinion I8 and rack bar IT carried by the shaft and the table, respectively, the table and the base 24 of 'the apparatus 23 carried thereby are moved towards the left, its movement being limited by a stop member |32 carried by the table engaging a stop member |33 fixed to the frame I0. During the advance of the base 24 towards the left the notched end of the ratchet bar 36, which is being constantly urged by the spring I I'i toward the right, remains in engagement with the yieldable pivoted stop member |26 for a short period, the plate 39 carrying the station slides 4I also remaining behind since it is fixed to the ratchet bar. This initial advance movement of the base 24, the ratchet pawl 83 advancing therewith upon the sub-base 26, permits the inner end of the spring pressed pawl to immediately ride into the first tooth 80 of the ratchet bar 30 so that as the base 24 and sub-base 26 continue their advance towards the left the ratchet bar 36 and its attached parts advance therewith, the pawl 83 moving to the right a distance limited by the length of the slot 84.

notches being formed at the outer ends of the key blanks.

Also simultaneously with the described actuation of the pawl 83 and the elevation of the key blanks 68 effected by the movement of the base 24, which carries the laterally slidable sub-base 26, towards the left, the sub-base 26 and the parts carried thereby are moved laterally on the base 24 toward the top of the drawings in the plan View (Fig. 2), due to the angularly arranged cam faces 32 of the channel formed in the upper surface of the base 24 moving towards the left,

the cam faces sliding upon the angularly arranged cam member 3| carried on the lower surface ofthe ratchet bar 30. This lateral indexing movement of the sub-base 26 serves to move the key blanks 68 parallel to the axis of the cutter I3, thus positioning them relative to the cutter for the rst or #I depth notch to be cut therein. After the engagement of the pawl 83 in the tooth 80 of the ratchet bar 39, and in the continued movement of the apparatus, the tooth 9? of the locking pawl 96 enters the notch 8| associated with the first tooth 80, the actuation of the pawl 96 beingieiected by its pin 99 riding first onto the dwell portion ||3 of the cam track 98 and then down the portion ||0 thereof and onto the dwell portion I||. In thecontinued movement of the apparatus 23 as a whole toward the left (Fig. l) with no relative movement occuring between the parts the key blanks 68 are moved tangentially across the lower peripheral cutting edge of the cutter I3 and the #I depth .K notch is formed therein at the desired point along its upper edge surface.

The movement of the apparatus continues towards the left after the cutting of theek! notches for a slight distance after which the left cam face 89 of the ratchet pawl 83 moves into engagement with and past` the right cam face 9U of the stationary lug 93, which rocks the pawl clockwise and effects a withdrawal of the pawl from the tooth 86 of the ratchet bar 38, the bar still being held by the locking pawl 96. The withdrawal of the pawl 83 permits the spring 86 to act thereon and it moves toward the left a distance limited by the length of the slot 84 and engages in the next tooth 88. Thereafter the apparatus still continuing its movement towards the left, the pin S9 of the locking pawl 96 rides up the cam track portion |69 and onto the dwell portion ||2 thus withdrawing the tooth 91 of the locking pawl 96 from the notch 8|. This actuation of the pawl 96 releases the ratchet bar 36 and the stored energy in the spring ||l steps the bar towards the right a distance of one tooth 89, determined by the movement which the pawl 83, still engaged in the tooth 80, may move toward the right, during which movement the spring 86 is again compressed. Simultaneously with this movement of the ratchet barr3il towards` the right the plate 39 carried thereby moves the second station slide 4|, designated station E,

which is set for #2 depth notch, toward and engages it under the abutment 19 of the key blank holding device 50, thus moving or in the present set up lowering the key blanks 68 to the desired plane for the cutting of the next notch. Also at this time a lateral movement of the sub-base 26 is effected 4similar to that described hereinbefore in connection with the cutting of the #l notch whereby the key blanks 68 are indexed to provide the desired space between the #I notch and the #2 notch about to be cut. Upon the above steps taking place the stop member |32 carried by the table 2 engages the stop member |33 -xed to the frame Ill which indicates to the operator that the apparatus is ready to be moved towards the right which is effected by rocking the hand lever 26 clockwise.

As the apparatus moves toward the right the pin 99 of the locking pawl 96 rides down the cam track portion |09 and onto the dwell portion thereof and thus entering the tooth 91 of the pawl in the alined notch 8| of the ratchet bar 30, followed by the key blanks 68 being moved across the cutting edge of the cutter |3, the #2 depth notch in the key blanks being cut. Following the cutting operation the pawl 83 moves into engagement with and past the left cam face of the stationary lug 93 and the pawl is actuated in the manner hereinbefore described, wherein it moves to the left and engages the next tooth 80. The pink 99 next rides up the cam track portion H0, thus withdrawing the pawl 96 from locking engagement with the ratchet bar 3U and in the manner described hereinbefore the ratchet bar 38 is again stepped to the right the distance of one tooth, thus positioning the third station slide, designated D, under the abutment 'I9 and thereby in the present set up lowering the key blanks 68 to the desired plane for the cutting of the next notch. At the same time that the key blanks 68 are adjusted vertically they are laterally moved whereby they are indexed to provide the desired space between the #2 notch and the #3 notch about to be cut.

v The following notching operations, namely, Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6, are effected in a manner similar to that described in connection with the completed notches #I and #2 by the operator continuing to reciprocate the table I2 alternately from left to right by rocking the hand lever 20 (Fig. l) alternately counterclockwise and clockwise,` respectively, until the key blanks 68 are completely notched in accordance with the set-up of the station slides 4I to provide the desired combination of different depth notches. After the last or #6 notch is cut in the final movement of the table I2 towards the right, the operator knowing when this occurs by either counting the strokes of the hand lever 20 or the number of times the outer end of the ratchet pawl 83 passes the stationary cam lug 93, and a slight continuing movement in the same direction engages the right end of the ratchet bar 30 with the yieldably pivoted stop member |26, the tapered end of the latter entering the notch |25 of the ratchet bar and the resistance offered indicates to the operator that a continuation of the stroke is required to again load or compress the spring I|'|. The operator, therefore, continues to move the table I2 which serves to compress the spring for the next operation of the apparatus for cutting a series of notches in key blanks. During the compression of the spring |I`I the ratchet bar 3D and the attached parts do not move in a longitudinal direction, although the base 24 and the sub-base 26 continue to advance with the table I2 and at the same time the sub-base with the parts carried thereby is laterally moved upon the base in a downward direction, as viewed in Fig. 2 to its normal position, due to the angular faces 32 of the base 2li riding along the similar faces on the cam member 3l carried by the longitudinally stationary ratchet bar Sii. As the ratchet bar 35i is moved laterally the engaged pivoted stop member 26 follows.

During the advance of the base 2li and subbase 26 and the loading of the spring i Il the ratchet pawl 83 carried upon the sub-base rides idly over the teeth 86 of the ratchet bar 3i! to its normal position wherein it engages the side surface of the ratchet bar adjacent the edge of the first tooth 80 thereof. The apparatus is now in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the operator removes the notched keys 68, preadjusts the station slides il to provide another combination of different depth tumbler notches, clamps a pair of key blanks in position, and proceeds as hereinbefore described to notch the same.

It will be noted that the ratchet bar 30 has a double spacing between the third and fourth ratchet teeth @il thereof, and also a similar spacing is provided between the third and fourth station slides lil. The purpose of this arrangement is to space the two groups of three tumbler notches. each, at each side of the notch I3! (Fig. 5) provided in the particular type key illustrated. In the operation of the apparatus it will be obvious that the ratchet bar Sli and the attached parts when released from the third inner tooth 8L! in the right hand group thereof will be indexed two steps instead of one.

The advantages of the herein described apparatus are that it provides for an accurate and rapid cutting of tumbler notches in key blanks, and includes simple means whereby the apparatus may be readily set up for automatically forming a series of notches of predetermined depth and arrangement in accordance with a code, the total number of different combinations possible being very great, and without the use of a highly skilled operator.

Although the invention has been disclosed and described as applied to an apparatus for milling tumbler notches in key blanks for use with a particular type of lock and one that may be attached to a conventional type of milling machine, it is clear that it may have a more general application and that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a key cutting machine, a cutting tool, a key blank holding element mounted for movement to bring a blank into cutting engagement with said tool, a supporting element for said holder, said elements being relatively movable both transversely to each other and toward and from each other, a plurality of slides each of graduated thickness on one of said elements, and an abutment on the other element engaging one of said slides at a time, whereby the preadjustment of the slides will predetermine the distance between said elements at a plurality of relative transverse positions of the holding element.

2. In a key cutting machine, a reciprocative carriage, a second carriage slidable laterally thereon, a key holder slidable vertically on said second carriage, a cutter above said key holder,

a plate slidable longitudinally on said second carriage below said key holder, a plurality of preadjustable slides carried on and extending laterally of said plate having stepped upper surfaces cooperating with a lower surface ofsaid key holder upon relative longitudinal movement between said plate and key holder for positioning the latter and thereby the surface of the key to be cut a desired distance above the lower edge of said cuttery for determining the depth of out in the key, and means effective during reciprocatory movements of said rst carriage for automatically moving said plate longitudinally on said second carriage and the latter carriage laterally on said first carriage at predetermined intervals to present different portions of the surface of the key to be cut to said cutter and for determining the depth of cut at the different key portions.

3. In a key cutting machine, a rotary cutter, a carriage reciprocative transversely to the cutter axis, means for reciprocating said carriage, a second carriage movable with said carriage and slidable thereon parallel to the cutter axis, a key holder movable with said second carriage and vertically slidable thereon, a plate slidable on said second carriage transversely to the cutter axis, said plate and second carriage having cooperating cam surfaces whereby a movement of said plate relative to said second carriage causes a movement of said second carriage and thereby the key parallel to the axis of said cutter whereby different portions of the key are presented to the cutter, a plurality of preadjustable slides carried on and extending parallel to the axis of said cutter, said slides having a series of steps engageable with a surface of said key holder upon successive movements of said plate relative to said carriage for causing vertical movements of the key in accordance With the particular step engaged, thereby determining the depth of cut at the different key portions, and means effective during reciprocatory movements of said first carriage wherein the key is moved tangentially across the cutter to perform the cutting operation for automatically moving said plate on said second carriage at predetermined intervals to effect said movement of the keyparallel to the axis of said cutter and said vertical movement of the key.

4. In a key cutting machine, a rotary cutter, a carriage reciprocative transversely to the cutter axis, means for reciprocating said carriage, a second carriage movable with said carriage and slidable thereon parallel to the cutter axis, a key holder movable with said second carriage and vertically slidable thereon, a plate slidable on said second carriage transversely to the cutter axis, said plate and second carriage having cooperating cam surfaces whereby a movement of said plate relative to said second carriage causes a movement of said second carriage and `thereby the key parallel to the axis of said cutter whereby different portions of the key are presented to the cutter, and means effective during reciprocatory movements of said rst carriage wherein the key is moved tangentially across the cutter to perform the cutting operation for automatically moving said plate on said second carriage at predetermined intervals to effect said movement of the key parallel to the axis of said cutter and said vertical movement of the key for determining the depth of cut at the different key portions.

JOHN S. S'I'ULL. 

